
cal Farce 




I3ST OOSTE ACT, 



PREPARED FOB rrr.LICATIOX BY 

Mrs. JESXIE JR. GRIFFIN. 

TOLEDO. OHIO. 




COPYRIGHTED 1889 BY n,W!i;\ B. WHITE, 

VXD PUBLISHED BY HIM AT 

TOLEDO, OHIO. 



<K» 



STAGE SETTING. 





L 






t Entrance. 


President. 




Ill See'yTreas. 
II Looking aEUe 
II glass. 




Reporters. 1 

Sergt.-at-A. 1 


I Dakota. 




Find lay. 1 


f Wyoming. 

1 




Sen. 
Rep. 


I NewOireland. 




Connecticut. 1 


1 Texas. 




Alabama. 1 


• I S. Carolina. 




California. i 


I Alaska. 




Rhode Island. | 



Ohi( 



1 



O o o o 



o o O O 



AUDIENCE. 



SHALL THE MEN VOTE? 



Political Farc 



s* 



II&T Q3STE ^i-CT. 




PREPARED FOR PUBLICATION BY 

Mrs. JENNIE R. 4 GRIFFIN, 

TOLEDO, OHIO. 



COPYRIGHTED 1889 BY HARRY IS. WHITE 

AND PUBLISHED BY HTM AT 

TOLEDO, OHIO. 



£o 



CAST OF CHARACTERS. 

As Presented in Toledo, Ohio, Nov. 19, 1888, by the Forsyth 

U'omans Relief Corps. 

President of the United States Belva Lockwoodl ? i 

Secret a r y of the Treasu ry Susan B . Ant hony( ? ) 

President of the Senate Kate B. Sherwood 

Senator from Massachusetts Jennie R. Griffin 

Senator from Wyoming Jane Lowry Beatty 

Senator from ( )hio Mayron Roe 

Senator from Dakota Mary A. Bills 

Senator from Rhode Island Etta S. Cam 

Senator from South ( 'arolina Mary S. Parks 

Senator from Alabama Mary S. Dnstin 

Senator from Texas Annie E. Horn 

Senator from Alaska Frances T. Woolson 

Senator from New Oireland Nellie ('. Bacon 

Senator from Connecticut Amelia B. Hull 

Senator from Find lay Ilattie Morlaeh 

Senator from California (Loo, ah There) Belle P. LaBowe 

,, I Lucy Lock Curtis 

Senate Reporters Ar • • , . a . • 

1 | Maggie G. Steedman 

Sergeant-at-Arms Catharine Kay nor 

Senators, Pages, etc., etc. 

Stage Manager Emma B. Galloway 



-COSTl'MES.- 



President of Senate — Full dress. 

Senator from Alaska — Indian costume, hair down, and painted. 

Senator from Rhode Island — Full dress and powdered hair. 

Senator from Texas — Short dress, rubber boots, sombrero, belt, knife and pistol. 

Senator from Ohio — Street costume; inclined to he manish. 

Senator from California (Loo ah Therci — Regular Chinese dress throughout, 
hair arranged a la Chinese, painted. 

Senators from South (arolina and Alabama — Colored, painted black, curly 
wigs, and characteristic dress. 

Senator from Findlay — Gretchen suit. 

Senator from New Oireland — Bright green dress and big bonnet with a pro- 
fusion of flowers "forninst" the front. 

Senator from Massachusetts — Tailor made black broad cloth dress, wide linen 
collar and cuffs, black plug hat, cane, satin lined overcoat thrown over left 
arm on entering, blue eye glasses. 

Other Senators — Dressed to suit taste. 

Reporter — Tailor made coat, wig; to look, whilst sitting behind table like a 
man. • 

Sergeant-at-Arms — Military coat and cap, gun, etc. 

Time — 1990. Scene — Floor of United States Senate. 



TMP92-009146 



SHALL THE MEN VOTE? 



A POLITICAL FARCE, IN ONE ACT. 



Scene. — Floor of the United state* Senate. 

After exclusive female suffrage; the bill before the house, " To Re-establish Mule Suf- 
frage in the United States." Curtain rises an floor of Senate; groups of 
Senators earnestly talking and discussing bill; enter Senators, one 
or two at a time; crowd annual glass, pr bangs, frizzes, 
dress, etc.; same walk over and kiss Senate 
reporters. — Enter President of Senate, 

all rise and bow, take seats, 
ami all begin ta talk. 

Pbebt. of Senate. (Pounds with croquet mallet.) Order! Order! {Raps 
louder and cries "Order! Order!" Senators pay no attention lint talk louder and 
faster.) (Loudly.) Sergeant-at-Armsl 

SERGT. I Walks ta front ami salutes ; all ii/sfantli/ Subside into silenee. ) 

I'kht. of Sex. Yob arc relieved. (Sergeant retires.) Owing to a rush of 
important business this morning we will dispense with the usual formalities. 
Senators. (All shouting loudly.) No! No! Song! Sony! 
I'jies. Very well honorable females, we will have the song. 

(All rise anil sing. I 



THE RULERS OF THIS BIG NATION! 
Hakky 13. White. W. A. Ouden. 








:R: Solo. 

— -N- 



-*- 



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-+j — =i 1 h — 






1. We're the nil - ers of 

2. We feel the gran - deur 
:!. < >ur suf - frage test is 
4. ( )ur work - ing men re 






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:*— TL- 



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;ig 



this big na-tion,And we're right good rulers, too, Quite an hon-or un 
of our sta-tion, Yes, in-deed, in -deed we do; We take care of ou; 



ed - u 
cieve at 



ca-tion, And its just the right test, too: 
ten-tion, And the tar - iff question, too, 



our 
Men we keep in 
In lieu of Rev 




to <>ur sta - tion, And a great big hon-or, too. Our votes we neith-er 
rep -u- ta-tion, Yes,andver-y great care, too. We have no cloak rooms 
sub- ju-ga -tion, Which is on- ly fair to do. — When they rul'd this 
neu, pro-tec-tion, We are sure that's right, aren't you? No more strikes, but 

i i , 

_., L 



THE RULERS OF THIS BIG NATION 




sell nor buy,And all such ac-tions we de- cry, We would n't do it, Ah! 
to take tea in, Trusts, the good thatwe don't sec in, Railroad hills with a 
country grand. And paupers came from ev-'a-y land iVitli speecli we could not 
ar - bi-tration, Lockouts, read co-op - e - ra-tion, Rum and beer reads 




^ 



• r -i. 

3^0 



? 




Ai.i.. 



no ! oh, my ! Now don't you think so, too ? . 
great big fee in, Here they don't get through. 
understand, They bought their suffrage new. 



•0. :i. .g. : m . 

. Don't you think so, 
No, they don't get 
Bought their suf-frage 



Pro - hi - bi-tion, — Prop-er thing to do It's the thing to 




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S==P — v- 



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6 

(All sealed.) 

Pres. [Raps with mallet.) We will dispense with all further ceremony 
and proceed at once to the bill before the Senate which is to establish male 
suffrage in the United States. Still I feel that I must call the attention of the 
honorable females to the fact that has been borne to me on the wings of 
the wind, that is I have been reliably informed by Susan B. Anthony, Sec- 
retary of the Treasury, that the United State Treasury is empty. The 
Honorable Secretary informs me that since the women have ruled this fair land 
of ours caucuses and elections are no longer held in saloons, and as a result 
much less revenue lias been received from the traffic in strong drink. Some- 
thing must be done to till the treasury or great distress will ensue. 1 under- 
stand that not a single new bonnet will be delivered except ('. 0. D., so some- 
thing must be done; what shall it be honorable females? an excursion, bazaar 
oyster supper or 

All. Oysters, Oysters, Oysters. 

Pbes. Immediate action must be 

Sen. from H. I. Madame President ! 

Pres. Sit down. (Raps with gavel.) 

Sen. from R. I. Madame Pres, I 

Pres. Sit down I say. (Raj)s louder.) 

Sex. from R. I. Hut Madame President, I hare something to say. 

Pres. Well, in that case you may go on. 

Sen. from R. I. I desire simply to add to what the honorable Presi- 
dent has just said in regard to the treasury, that I am reliably informed that 
the salary of several Senators is due and unpaid for a term varying from a half 
to a whole day, and that such a state of affairs requires immediate action and 
can ful attention ; I therefore 

(This sparring bet/ween the two Senators must he done quickly, hardly giving the 
President time to recognize them, i 

Sen. from Mass. Madame President 

Sen. from Ohio. Madame Presi 

Pres. Senator from O 

Sen. from Mass. Madame President, the Senator from Ohio is out of 
order. 

Sen. from Ohio. You're another ! Madame President, I desire to call 
for the regular order of business. 

Sen. from Mass. Well, smarty, that's just what I wanted to do. 

Pres. The Senator from Massachusetts has the floor. 

Sen. from Mass. Madame President, I desire to call for the regular 
order of business. 

Sen. from Ohio. Madame President. 

Pres. Senator from Ohio. 

Sen. from Ohio. I desire to speak on a point of personal privilege. 

Pres. The Senator from Ohio has the floor. 

Sicn. from Ohio. 1 am about to resent a bold and uncalled for insult that 
has just been put upon me by the so called honorable female from Massachu- 
setts. I have just been called "smarty" to my very face, and upon this Hoor. 
Some might argue that the term was meant as a compliment to my superior 
ability, but, Madame President, 1 will not he cajoled or satisfied by any such 
explanation, and unless the so called honorable female from the codfish state 



will retract and apologize 1 will (ill the torrid air of tliis Senate Chamber with 
detached fragments of last year's style of codfish clothing to such an extent 
that you will think one of those awful convulsions of the air that our ancestors 

used to call a a bicycle, I think it was, had been here in all its fury. Is 

there anything in my appearance or my record upon this floor to call forth such 
approbation? Madame President, the honor of the great State of Ohio must 
and shall be maintained, I throw down the gauntlet, 1 proffer the gages of hat- 
tie; and, unless 

Sen. from .Mass. Madame President. 

Press. Senator from Massachusetts. 

Sen. from Mass. 1 hope the honorable female from the gas illumined 
district of Ohio will retain her usual angelic frame of mind, and continue to 
wear those garments, whose apparent age and respectability make them so 
eminently appropriate and becoming to her. I should be sorry, indeed, if she 
should construe my hasty and chance remark into a compliment. I most heart- 
ily agree in the sentiment expressed by her, that there is nothing in her appear- 
ance or her record upon this floor that would indicate her as the possessor of 
superior intelligence. Madame President, if any chance word or expression 
of mine dropped in the heat of discussion has conveyed the idea that I consider 
her the possessor of such attributes of mind, I most humbly apologize for the 
insult to this honorable body — or perhaps I should say this collection of 
honorable bodies. Madame, your remark in regard to my style and clothing I 
shall pass over in silence, but your allusion to the immortal and indestructable 
codfish was untimely to say the least: we should always speak kindly of the 
absent. In conclusion let us hope that my apology will be received in the same 
cheerful spirit in which it is offered, but if blood must flow who's afraid. 
Honorable females, I am now as I always have been, ready to be led a willing 
sacrifice to the altar. 

Pres. I would remind the honorable females that they are frittering away 
valuable time and advise them at once to 

Sex. from Ohio. Madame President, I have a petition 

Pres. The Senator from Ohio is out of order. 

Sen. from Ohio. But, M-.sdame President, my 

Pres. Sit down. (Baps with gavel.) 

Sen. from Ohio. (Waving petition wildly.) But, Madame President, my 
petition is in regard to the bill before the house. 

Pres. Well, why did'nt you say so before. 

Sen. FROM Ohio. I did. (Beads.) "To the honorable Senate of the 
United States: We, the undersigned, male residents of the United States of 
America desire to call your favorable attention to House Hill No. 689,472 now 
on the Senate calendar and designed to once more confer the rights of citizen- 
ship on the male population of this country." The petition, Madame Presi- 
dent, is signed by 8,887,440 male residents of the United States. Shall 1 read 
the names V 

Ale. The names. The names. 

(Beads long list of prominent politicians of the United States, and prominent 
and otherwise p<>liticitnt..< of town where given.) 

Aee. Enough! Enough! 

Pres. Sergeant-at-Arms call out the guards. 



Sen. from Ohio. ( Waving list wildly calls out at top of voice.) Dr. Mary 

Walker 

[Sergeant comes forward and salutes.) 

Pees. You are relieved. 

Sen. FROM < )HIO. Madame President, I am heartily in favor of re-estab- 
lishing male suffrage in the United States, and although there are some bad 
features in the bill, I shall give it my vote, while as a female I cannot help but 
feel it is the proudest moment in the history of our sex when in response to our 
imperious demands the ballot was placed in our hand, and I point with pride 
to the legislation which followed. The laws which closed the learned profes- 
sions to the male sex and compelled them to use their boasteil strength in 
purely manual labor ; the laws abolishing the tyranical custom of compelling 
the female members of the household to do the house work ; the laws making 
men incompetent to hold any office of trust or profit in the United States, all 
these and many more were the stepping stones that worked the progress of our 
sex. Madame President, when woman suffrage was agitating the world it was 
because they had suffered for their rights ; they had been slighted in every way 
and now that the men have been taught the sweet lesson of submission, we 
should encourage their patience by allowing them equal rights with the women 
of these United States. In the petition before this house they do not ask for 
despotism as beld In fore, but to be citizens; we propose to make them not 
slaves hut co-workers in this great nation. We have not taken time to look 
beyond our great triumph to see what may lie in the dark future. Madame 
President, our thoughts should be mainly bent on considering, not how we can 
selfishly control this vast government, but how we can better the condition of 
its people by allowing its male population to assist in making its laws. We 
demanded the ballot ; we wanted to take part in the torch-light processions; we 
wanted to demonstrate our fitness for governing by coming home elevated on 
election nights; we wanted to go to Congress, and these blessed privileges have 
been ours these many years and we have thoroughly proven to mankind that 
matrimony is NOT our only destiny; and now that we have assumed that posi- 
tion in life to which we were entitled why should we refuse to share this 
power, why not grant the right of citizenship to the male population of this 
country. I view with alarm some of the results of depriving the men of at 
least an advisory place in the government. [In the State of Ohio nearly every 
enterprise languishes for want of male support and experience; Lake Erie waits 
to Ik- wedded anew to the mirror like Maumee by the tie of the straight chan- 
nel, but waits in vain. The work must be done so that the way will be clear to 
Prescpie Isle, so our next river carnival will he a success.] Who will complete 
this mighty work now that our male engineers, contractors and laborers are 
forced to devote their entire energy to earing for the children, while their 
wives are rattling around in their old avocations. Who, Madame President, 

who? and echo vaguely responds 

[The part in brackets may be omitted when thepieceis rendered outside of Ohio, 
or some needed public work may be mentioned in lieu of these.) 
(All. Chestnuts.) 

We need men in our arm — ies; they may not wear their uniforms so becom- 
ingly as do the ladies who now defend our country, but we need some men for 
the real work, real had, horrid men with real mustaches, and who are not 
afraid of dou-s — and — cows — and — mice — and — and such things. These eonsid- 



9 

erations with many others which time will not allow me to cite, demand with 
trumpet tongue the passage of the measure. Our standing armies will no Longer 
stand and has already laid down its arms, r. fusing, and very properly too, to 
fight battles. .My heart stands still at the thought of having to shoulder a hor- 
rid gun and go forth to ti<;'ht, what? whom? an army of men drawn up in hat- 
tie array; whom of us could shoot a man ? I turn with horror from the thought 
and leave the question unanswered, and again I say I am heartily in favor. 

Sen. from S. ('. Say boss — or Missus President. 

Pees. Senator from South Carolina. 

Sen. from S. C. I rise to a point of privilige, Missus President, I move 
dat in presenting dese voluminous papahs dat de Senatafa from de great State 
of Ohio an de great State of Massachusetts he limited as to time — say two hours 
and a half 

VOICE from Senate. Oh, make it three hours, nobody can say anything 
in two hours and a half. 

Sex. FROM S. C. Well, make it foab hours. 

Sen. from China Town. Me secondee niggee female motion. 

Sen. from S. C Me, nigger ! me, a full fledged American citizen to he 
thus insulted on dis heah floah 

Sen. from Alaska. ( flourishing tomahawk.) Me big squaw third the pale 
faced motion. 

Sen. from Oireland. (rushing to center of stage.) 1 foortfa thot motion, 
Mistriss Prisidint. 

Pres. Senator from Oireland. 

Sen. from O'i/d. Mistress Prisident, do you moind that we are jist after 
having an election? an do yees know that Grover got left wid the rist of us 
demmyerats. Be gorrah, I wish Grover had sint thot Britisher home before 
he sint any letters, at all, at all, and Mistriss Prisidint, did ye hear of a gintle- 
mnn. Lord Saekville he name? He writ a letter to a mon out west and in con- 
sequence share its Belva Loekwood of the Aquil Rights party thats Prisidint 
of this United States not Grover, and, Mistriss Prisident, Grover and Saekville 
boath tuk a walk, and as for me, I'm for the soldier bye, ould Oireland and 
"Erin go hraugh." 

Sen. from Findlay. Mattam President. 

Pre*. Senator from the gas regions. 

Sen. from F. I haf got somedings to say on dot empty treasury peesnis 
already. I haf heard of dot disastrous state of affairs, dot de moneys in dot 
treasury is all gone, und now I want to speak my mind right avav quick. Mat- 
tam Presedent, von resource is left of us, it ish dot gas, dot natural gas, was 
zieimtlic goot und if dot <^as gan pe garried in bipes vats de matter of its being 
garried in pottles yoost as dose men garry dose udder spirits — snaps I dinks 
dey calls dem, in bottles. Mattam President, I vants to say somedings more. 
If dot gas bees pottled oop, V e can vater our stocks in dot Mauinee rifer und 
zell dot same for enough to pay off dot debt right avav qwick. A free line of 
pottles from dot gusher at Findlay would he yoost so goot as a free line of bipes 
und costed us nodings, und if dot Mayor of Toledo would help us out, we could 
supply de whole vorld mit natural gas, und at dot same dime raise dot tariff 
oop on dot — whale oil. De whole vorld vant natural gas; let us be de benefac- 
tors OV dot vorld. 



10 

I'kks. I would remind the honorable females that there is a motion before 
the house. Senator from South Carolina, please state your motion. 

Sen. from S. C. I move dat 

( Utmost confusion and inattention. I 

I'kks. Order! Order! Order! State your motion again. 
i ( 'onfusion and discussion still going on. i 

Sen. FROM S. C. I move dat well lav it under the table. 

Pres. Order !*We must proceed to business; the bill before the house is 
to re-establish male suffrage in the United States, and 

Sen. from R. I. Madame President. 

Pre*. Senator from Rhode Island. 

Sen. FROM R. I. I appeal in behalf of the down-trodden men of Rhode 
Island; this state of affairs has gone far enough; look at the poor dears; note 
the change in their bearing. From the race of manly men, brave, confident 
(I admit too confident) we have the timid, womanish man, hesitating in step, 
silly in expression: {begins to cry) it just breaks my heart so it does, and I don't 
like it a bit. Of what use are pretty dresses, lovely bonnets and all of the dear 
little fads on which the w< manly woman dotes. The men shall be emanci- 
pated : what were four million of black slaves to two million of white lackeys? 
Think of it ! Think of men sleeping on the roof, under the bed, skulking, hid- 
ing from — their wives ! Preposterous! [t does break my heart, (crying) [would 
— 1 — would go — on — with — my appeal, Madam — President, — but — I — 1 e-eant. 

Pres. The Senator from Rhode Island having been unexpectedly over- 
come we will hear from the Senator from Texas. 

Skn. from Texas. Madame President, I am a Texican and I won't be 
stepped on, especially by a snub-nosed individual representing the worn out 
civilization of Massachusetts. Boston no longer rules the world. Southward 
the state of empire takes its way, and the largest state in this glorious country 
which I have the honor to represent will have a voice in this matter. Madame 
President, if this bill can be so amended as to apply to the intelligent portion 
of the community it will receive my most earnest and hearty support, but I will 
never vote to degrade the ballot by giving it to those who were formerly slaves, 
and who ought to be yet, or to the foreign proprietors of the laundry business. 
Universal suffrage and civil service reform are twin delusions. The sacred 
privilege of voting, of having a voice in affairs of state, of choosing our rulers, 
and representatives, should be restricted, but it should be restricted by intelli- 
gence and not by sex. The fathers, husbands, sons and brothers of free born 
American citizens should share our privileges as well as our burdens. Is the 
age of chivalry forever past ; have we no sense of honor towards these lovely 
and gentle beings whom Providence has instituted to our protection? shall 
they always be kept in servitude because they are weak? Never, Madame Pres- 
ident, it must, it shall be done; peacably if we can, but forcibly if we must. 
I am ready at any time to shoulder my musket in defence of husband and home, 
and if any obstreperous ft male dare oppose this most righteous measure, shoot 
her on the spot. 

SEN. FROM Mass. Madame President. 

Pres. Senator from Massachusetts. 

Sen. FROM Mass. Notwithstanding the appeal of the sniveling Senator 
fri m Rhode Island, and the murderous threat of the cow boy Senator from 
Texas, I declare myself against the bill to re-establish male suffrage in the 



11 

United States. Honorable Senators, I sec nothing in this proposed measure 
but a scheme on the part of designing men to again usurp the places of power 

and influence. 1 call to mind in the days c f our bondage no words that were 
more often quoted to ns by these very same men than of an ancient writer who 
says, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world," and who of ns wonld 
interfere with them in the pursuit of ambition in their proper sphere. 1 for 
one would lie the last on earth to prevent any man from rocking the cradle to 
his hearts content. I glory in the thoughl that we bave reduced them to the 
attitude of petitioners, and now in this proud moment of our "lory let us rejecl 
him; let ns spurn him, let us stamp him and his petition under foot. The hon- 
orable females who have just preeeeded me view with alarm the situation, Mad- 
ame President, I know no fear in the discharge of my duty ; were 1 called upon 

to shoulder a musket against a man, in the defence of my rights I'd I'd 

shoulder it. Fear, Madame President, is an emotion that 1 would scorn 

(rat—shrieks) 1 say that I know not the sensation of fear. Madame 

President, it matters little to me whether my enemy he a man or beast so my 
duty he 1 rat — shrieks. ) 

(Confusion — .1// theSenators climbing mi chairs /<< <j<i away from a rat.) 

i Curtain.') 






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